[CW: Reference to child abuse/neglect/alcoholism]

Noah looked up. "No, ser. I've eaten." he said. It was just that the quality of the food hadn't been that good. There was the money that Quentin had given him, but well... his parents had found out. It had resulted in his father taking the money, and in one or two good blows for his selfishness in hiding it from his family. His father had taken the money to feed the family and take care of the accounts, but it had been spent surprisingly quickly.

He was surprised that the man was so easy about the food. Probably too trusting. Noah wouldn't trust the likes of himself helping himself if he had a home and a larder.

"I can begin tomorrow, ser," he said, eager to make a good impression. He tried to flatten the hair on the back of his head again, failed, and finished his sandwhich.

"I insist you have a day to get settled and rest. Trust me when I say that you'll have plenty of things to do after that day. Farmwork never ceases for too long, there is always something on the list of things to do." He spoke like a man who enjoyed a good siesta himself.

"If ye insist, ser," he said. He left his hair alone. "I'm finished eatin', ser."

Uriel nodded and collected the plates after finishing his own sandwich. Then he nodded, "Come with me, I'll show you to where you'll be sleeping." He waited for the boy to get up and follow him.

"Aye ser," Noah replied. He picked up his cap and followed the big man. "'Ave ye built t' house yerself, ser?"

"That I did," he said, "Took me a while to get it started, but there's something about the smell of freshly sawed wood that makes it exciting to build your own house." He babbled a little as he led the way toward the upstairs, a decent-sized room was up there. There was a comfortable-looking bed made with unfinished pine that looked rustic but fitting, a table and chairs that the kid could do his eating at if he wanted to be alone, and a chest of drawers. He said, "I provided you with the basic needs, it is up to you to furnish your room as you see fit beyond the furniture here." He clicked the button to turn on the light, and the sound of the bulb kicking on could be heard in a buzz of electricity. "Lights if you want them." He clicked it back off. Then he showed Noah around the house, to where the bathroom was with the mosaic floor tiling that was particularly artistic. Uriel Meijer had built something lovely and welcoming. When the tour of the house was over, he showed him where things were outside, such as the chicken coop and the foundation of a barn.

Noah looked around, very impressed. He could do a little bit of carpenting because his father owned a repair shop, but they wouldn't even be able to do a poor rip off of this. "In t' house?" he asked, surprised, when the man led him into his room. Then when the light was switched on, his jaw dropped and he stared up at the lamp as if he had never seen light before. He had his own room with electric lighting! Was this a dream? He followed Uriel around the house. "It's very impressive, ser," he said.

The only disappointing thing was that he had assumed he would sleep in the barn and could sneak James in. He'd need to find a solution for that.

Unfortunately for Noah, the barn was not built just yet. There were a chicken coop and a dog house, but no barn yet. He was going to arrange a barn raising. "I don't have a barn yet. I have to build it." It was going to take some time. But he looked at the boy and was satisfied that he made the right choice, for the kid seemed to need this job. If Uriel knew that he would want to be with James, he probably would give permission just as long as they pulled their weight. He didn't know, though.

"Aye ser. I'll help ye build it." Noah offered. James would have to sleep at home for now. He'd just have to impress on the boy the importance of going to school. Noah didn't like the fact that he couldn't keep an eye on him. "Will ye make a list of jobs for me, ser. I ain't ne'er worked on a farm before and I'd hate to forget owt, ye see."

"One thing at a time, Noah," he said kindly. "We're going to have to learn how to farm together." He would probably have to leave teaching eventually, which was something he didn't want to do but those children were just... well, the job was thankless! Perhaps he had been wrong.

"You go on now and get your belongings."